Immediate past governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has described his former party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, as a derailed party.
Obi was reacting to the expression of disappointment by Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojokwu, following his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, last week.
Some youths had also staged a protest to condemn the ex-governor’s defection and pledge continued support to the APGA-led administration in Anambra State.
The former governor on Tuesday noted that Ojukwu’s comment must be taken seriously, because she was not a frivolous person, but said, however, that the party had become an empty shell without an inner core of shared values.
He assured his followers of his commitment to his cause and principles despite joining the PDP.
Obi said he kept his promise to Ojukwu by finishing as an APGA governor and enthroning another APGA government in spite of pressure on him to decamp while he was still serving.
“Despite all overtures for me to leave APGA when I was the governor, I did not give in, but served out my term on APGA’s platform and handed over to an APGA governor,” he said.
According to Obi, his reply to Bianca would be the last on his defection to enable him channel his time and energy to the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the place of Ndigbo in the nation’s politics.
“I wish to reiterate that I am still loyal to our great leader, in terms of what serves the interests of our people and the country. Everyone knows that APGA is not what it used to be. My assurance to our great leader did not imply that I would be loyal to a platform that some people have resolved to turn into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values. I remain faithful to those values and principles our great leader asked me to stand for and defend,” he said.
Obi noted that he had seen enough violation of what APGA stood for, adong: “I cannot continue to stay in a place, which has departed from the original cause and where clearly I was not wanted.”